About this episode
In this special Election Day episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt , Emmy Award–winning journalist Jake Tapper joins Jonah for a candid and wide-ranging conversation on politics, identity, and truth-telling in a polarized world. Best known as the anchor of CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper and State of the Union , Jake reflects on his decades covering America’s most defining political moments — from the Virginia governor’s race to the New York City mayoral election — and how journalism has evolved in an era of social media outrage and political echo chambers. Together, Jonah and Jake explore the intersections of Jewish identity, antisemitism — past and present — and the evolving challenges of journalistic integrity in today’s press environment. Jake also opens up about his writing process and his latest books — Race Against Terror, which follows the pursuit of an Al-Qaeda killer, and Original Sin, his political thriller about a presidential cover-up during the 2024 election. This episode is a deep dive into the ethics of journalism, the responsibility of storytelling, and what it means to stay empathetic and informed in turbulent times. It’s a timely, thought-provoking listen for anyone who cares about democracy, truth, and the power of Jewish values in public discourse. Topics covered include: Discussing Key Political Races The Democratic and Republican Parties Concerns Within the Jewish Community Antisemitism in Politics Personal Experiences with Antisemitism Challenges in Media Reporting Jake Tapper's Jewish Identity Jewish High School Experiences Jewish Summer Camp Memories Interfaith Marriages and Family Traditions Writing About Joe Biden Race Against Terror: A New Book Five Deep Questions with Jake Tapper Sponsors Sponsored by Berkeley Moshav https://www.berkeleymoshav.org/ Please support the podcast and become a member (join the Kahillah) to get exclusive benefits. https://beingjewishpodcast.com/community Mentioned in the Episode: Understanding The Tower of Babel Sodom and Gomorrah; The Cities Destroyed by God What Really Happened at Mount Sinai Bullsh*t Behavior & Central Synagogue's Rabbi Angela Buchdahl Buchdahl Has Faced Criticism for Declining to Sign a Rabbinic Letter Condemning the Mayoral Candidate. Increase in Jewish Hate Jewish Population Changes Race Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War by Jake Tapper Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson Jake Tapper Instagram Jake Tapper X The Lead with Jake Tapper Key Early Elections The Danger of Zohran Mamdani What Does “Globalize the Intifada” Mean and How Can it Lead to Targeting Jews with Violence? The Overton Window The Lynching of Leo Frank Dana Bash BJJP Ep Sheryl Sandberg BJJP Ep Protests at Jake Tapper’s Home Hamas Weaponizes Sexual Assault in GAZA Adi Vital-Kaploun, killed on October 7th, 2023 NY Times Admits to Relying Too Heavily on Hamas Reporting News outlets’ erroneous “14,000 babies” claim Watch the 2024 Presidential Debate Inside the Trump Family’s Global Crypto Cash Machine Who is Spin Ghul? United States vs Ahmed Ghailani Call Your Mother Deli Rabbi Solomon ibn Gabirol Selected Religious Poems Of Solomon Ibn Gabirol Translated Into English Verse By Israel Zangwill Benjamin Franklin Bache Watch Being Jewish on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter: bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter For Sponsorships, please email: jonahplattinfo@gmail.com To contact us & all things BJJP: www.BeingJewishPodcast.com Follow Jonah on: Instagram - @JonahPlatt X - @JonahPlatt Follow Being Jewish on: Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast TikTok - @BeingJewish